Unmasking The Truth About Single-Use Masks

Face masks are an extremely important item to own today, but their sudden and wide-scale use is having a major impact on our environment. Fortunately, there is a (potentially) fashionable solution that limits the amount of waste generated by surgical masks. By simply switching to reusable masks, we can help stop much, if not all, of the ecological impact of masks. They are good for your wallet and will help keep our frontline workers safe!

Help The Environment! 

Each year a shocking 150 million tons of single-use plastic is produced. If this is in “normal” times, what about now? The public is rapidly using single-use surgical plastic masks, and it poses a major threat to ourselves and our planet. N95 and surgical masks have not been proven to be more effective than reusable masks in preventing us from catching Coronavirus. However, hospital-grade masks are crucial for medical professionals to have access to because they are in direct contact with infected patients and must change their masks repeatedly.  

Surgical masks in hospitals should always be disposed of properly to avoid contamination and are burned. We can’t follow this structured system, so masks are not being disposed of properly. Instead, we have these masks littering our roads, beaches, and parks where we can inadvertently touch them. We are already seeing thousands of masks washing up on the shores of Hong Kong, threatening the wildlife that inhabits our oceans. This is causing unnecessary contamination and the chance for masks to harm our environment. 

A team of scientists from the environmental group OceanAsia recently surveyed the Sokos islands in Hong Kong and found 70 discarded surgical masks within 100 meters of the beach and an additional 30 masks when they returned the following week. Since then the team has seen surgical masks all along the high tide line and foreshore with arrivals continuously coming in on the current. With a population of seven million people that wear one to two masks per day the amount of litter generated is going to be enormous.

Cheaper!

There are other factors to consider as well. For one, reusable masks are good for your pocketbook!  One cloth mask can be used up to 50 times. We can each save 50 single-use masks from being used, which will help save us mucho moolah while keeping stocks of surgical masks replenished at hospitals. Medical grade masks are in exceedingly high demand around the globe and are pivotal in protecting our doctors, workers, carers, and healthcare professionals who are risking their lives every day to help save the lives of those who have contracted COVID-19. 

The point is that we do not need to wear surgical masks! Reusable masks will do the same job of preventing us from endangering others. Companies such as Rachel Craven, Etsy, and Everlane understand this, and have come out with fashionable handmade cloth face masks that meet the CDC recommended requirements and are good for the environment!

Be Fashionable!

Rachel Craven- Rachel Craven is devoted to truth-telling, inclusion, transparency, and creating quality sustainable textiles. The brand’s philosophy is that by utilizing the finest fabrics available, we can consume less. They are also known for their commitment to sustainable and environmentally sound manufacturing processes. Right now, Rachel Craven is selling 100% linen face masks, and for every mask purchased, the company will donate two masks to an organization whose staff and community need personal protection equipment. This month they are donating to 1736 Family Crisis Center.

Etsy - Though Etsy can not make medical or health claims, the safety of their community is of the utmost importance. They have an extensive COVID-19 Safety Article on the site outlining the process they take to ensure that the marketplace is protected. Known for their unique creative goods, it is the perfect place to go for fashionable hand-made masks. It's also a bonus that Etsy also embraces sustainability!

Everlane - Everlane launched a line called 100% Human after the 2016 election. The line advocates for human rights for all and every product sold, they donate 10% of the profits to ACLU, an organization that has been fighting to protect our freedom for the past century. In light of the pandemic, 100% Human has come out with reusable face masks made from double-layered woven fabric.

For more mask suggestions, please check out our 2020 List Of Sustainable Masks here.

Reusable masks are much cuter than plastic surgical masks and just make more sense for the general public to use. Cotton face masks are the new must-have accessory (in more ways than one). They are not only a way to protect the people around us, but by wearing a reusable mask we show solidarity and concern for others. Plus, wearing a reusable mask shows that we know how to accessorize! Leave the medical-grade masks to our frontline workers!